WOTD:  Returning Home
by Guardian Kysra
Summary: Clearing his throat, and contemplating her back as she refused to let go of Raven who was protesting the added weight, he sent up a tiny prayer and spoke the words on his mind. "Please tell me you're eighteen."  SpeedyMelvin


Author's Note: First draft, unedited. This is Speedy/Melvin in flavor (yes, you read that right). I call this my "imaginary OTP" because I would never CANONICALLY pair these two but they are FUN as all hell to write. So much so, I'm planning a chaptered fic starring them.

It should be noted that while Emaniahilel has given me _carte blanche_ pretty much in the Fableverse, she does not support Speedy/Melvin. Therefore, though my imaginary OTP is based in the Fableverse (in my head), they are NOT part of the Fableverse fanon. (It should also be noted that Em is not AGAINST Speedy/Mel, she has told me many times that she is amused at my enthusiasm for them).

Now that that's all squared away . . .

Returning Home

A Word of the Day Ficlet

By Kysra

Roy wasn't a master detective like Robin or an empath like Raven; but he was somewhat observant and currently he was observing Raven being nervous.

It was rather amusing. And since he wasn't known for self-control, he was applying more effort than usual in keeping his face blandly neutral; because - and he was sure she didn't realize this - when Raven was nervous, she fidgeted with inanimate objects . . . that she wasn't currently touching.

He was inwardly counting down to the sounds of breakage.

"So, you wanna tell me why you're ready to implode the rake?"

"Hhhmm?" Raven's noncommittal hum always reminded him to a swarm of bees hard at work, at once comforting like summer snow cones and warning of danger at the same time.

He gestured to the rake which was currently hurtling toward one of the porch windows. "Wanna tell me about that?"

Raven's eyes darted to his then back to her previous contemplation with the road. The heat was stifling but she had insisted on commiserating (her word) outside, on the porch swing. "I'm waiting for someone I haven't seen in . . too long."

Intrigued, Roy leaned forward, bracing forearms on knees, contemplating her as she gracefully smoothed a stray hair behind her ear. "Anyone I know?"

"You've met her once or twice, I think; but I don't believe it was very favorable to either of you." She smirked down at him then suddenly shot up from the swing, taking the few steps to the porch edge as a bus painted earthen hues stopped in front of the drive and opened its door.

There was a pause as Roy looked between the bus and Raven's concentrated features; and then a shadow above two sneakered feet appeared in the door with multiple bangs and squeaks until finally a tallish figure topped with pigtailed sun-shot blonde hair and burdened with three (probably over-stuffed) heavy-looking bags tripped down the interior bus steps. The girl, whose blue eyes burned like twin flames even from this distance, turned and waved as the vehicle began its departure, yelling a merry, "Safe journey!" to the leftover occupants.

Raven was smiling now in that now-familiar motherly way of hers which only perplexed Roy even more. He couldn't think of anyone beside her own children, nieces, and nephews Raven was willing to show this side of herself to.

The blonde was trudging up the lawn but he could see the wide, toothy smile she was shooting at Raven who was equally enraptured. He vaguely wondered why Raven wasn't RUNNING to the girl - it seemed she was practically vibrating with excitement.

It was then that he decided to study the girl a little more. She wasn't quite as tall as he had initially thought but still rather reedy, several inches shorter than him at any rate. Her blonde hair was long, straight and well-kept, he could tell, and her face was tan and somewhat elfin with wide, round eyes, a pert little nose, and a full mouth that glimmered with a pretty pink sheen of gloss. She was tall and willowy though probably not model material. She moved with obvious purpose with quick uneven steps that were sure, solid, and strong.

He liked her instantly. The fact that she had a killer figure was just a bonus. He purred. "She looks good enough to eat." All sweet and young and pure. Roy was suddenly glad he was wearing his loose swimming trunks.

Raven's glare was ignored for the most part. "She's off-limits," was all she managed to get out before the blonde dropped her bags and pounced, hugging the older, shorter woman about the neck with near bone-crushing force.

"I missed you so much! How's Rob? And where are those babies! I was hoping to show Vicky my newest trick - substantial hypnosis!"

Raven was laughing. _Laughing_. Without censure or concern and tears in her eyes. "I missed you too, Melvin."

Why did that name sound so familiar?

He cocked his head to the side, squinting at the girl who had yet to tear herself away from Raven. She certainly was pretty in an unusual but innocent sort of way. Something about the way her mouth looked so soft yet commanding. This juxtaposition only succeeded in making him even more interested, particularly when he made note of her style of dress.

For all the sunshine of her disposition and the fierce steel he could see behind those too-blue eyes, her clothing suggested a reckless sort of disorder - lavender sleeveless hoodie layered over a cap sleeved turtleneck; red, green, black, and yellow plaid kilt-like skirt over stone washed capris tied together with a wide-banded, silver studded belt slung across her hips. There was a bondage choker at her neck and fingerless, leather gloves on her hands. All that was missing were a few earrings in strategic places and an ankle tattoo.

Clearing his throat, and contemplating her back as she refused to let go of Raven who was protesting the added weight, he sent up a tiny prayer and spoke the words on his mind. "Please tell me you're eighteen."

The blonde visibly paused, her entire body going rigid before she woodenly turned to face him. Her smile of earlier was gone, replaced by a sour expression that could only be described as threatening . . . as if she was going to attack any second and enjoy watching him suffer. But Roy was unaffected. He experienced such looks almost daily from the women he dated.

"Mr. Harper." Her once-over gaze was frosty at best, frost-bitten at worst. He shuddered. "I wish I could say it's good to see you; but I have a very accurate memory." While he swallowed that, she turned back to Raven. "I can't believe Rob still let's him come around."

Raven's cheeks were flushed and her lips were sucked into her mouth. It was her standard "I am trying so hard not to laugh my brain might just explode" expression, and it was a testament to just how often he visited that he even knew that. He also knew that he wasn't going to get any help from that quarter which meant he'd have to defend himself.

"Now, look, honey, I don't know how you know my name or why you've decided to be so rude towards me; but I think I deserve at least a little respect and an explanation."

The newcomer jabbed her thumb in his general direction before asking Raven, "He's kidding, right?"

Raven, the battle with herself over and lost, was laughing as if it were the end of the world and she was given the key to Disneyland even as she shook her head 'no.'

Melvin rubbed delicate looking fingers across her forehead, granting him a less hostile side-long glance. "Not that you deserve to know (and don't think I don't know WHY you want to know) but I'll be eighteen in two months." She paused then sat down on the swing with a soft 'woof'. "As for the rudeness. I apologize. You probably -" She cut herself off, her eyes meeting his for one near-flinch-inducing second. "You definitely don't remember me, so I forgive you for being a dirty old man just now."

"What?"

Her eyes flashed fire, he was mentally incinerated, and - God help him - he _liked_ it. "And I'm not 'honey.' Not to you or anyone else, so consider this an advance warning." She stood and stepped close, toe to toe, her head tilted back and he suddenly wished her shirt(s) had a lower neckline since her eyes were practically snapping fiery sparks at him and he could barely stand to look. "My friend Bobby doesn't like it when I'm unhappy; and he will attack you when you least expect it, so don't mess with me."

And suddenly it was as if the sky had opened and dumped a load of ice water on his head because though the words were different the name Bobby and the threat he presented were still as clear as the day he first heard them . . . years ago. He blinked, his mouth dropping open numbly. "You're THAT Melvin?" Visions of past maulings by invisible giant demon teddy bear danced through his head.

Melvin simply shook her head, disappointed, before turning to wrap her arm around the shoulders of a still-laughing Raven and lead her into the house.

Roy took a few moments of stunned stillness to follow but when he moved to step across the threshold it was like he had just walked into an invisible wall. Holding his nose as his eyes watered from the impact, he punched at the air only to curse when his fingers hit an unyielding, solid barrier. "What the hell?

And then, his eyes widened as realization and memory completely set in. "MELVIN!"

_Word: Pied-a-terre_


End file.
